// Executive Committee unanimously recommends active living and culture trail from Brampton to Pickering. Quotes from across city including Mayor Ford and Councillors Perruzza, Mihevc, Wong-Tam, Crawford, Carroll, Thompson and Ainslie //

Toronto, ON July 3, 2013 - The City of Toronto's Executive Committee has recommended the Pan Am Path as one of the legacy projects for the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am / Parapan Am Games.

According to the report released by City Staff, "the Path is expected to be used by thousands of Toronto residents every year and has the potential to become a high profile tourist attraction in its own right." (Please see Staff Report Highlights in 'Resources' section below.)

The Pan Am Path is a proposal to connect existing trails in Toronto as part of an active-living legacy for the TORONTO 2015 Games. If it is passed by Council on July 16th, the project will accelerate the creation of a continuous trail across Toronto for walking, running and biking. The Path aims to link neighbourhoods across the city and engage diverse communities through opportunities for art, enriched public spaces, tourism and local economic development. At twelve sites along the Path, local arts organizations will work with Pan American artists to shine a light on the best in their communities.

In addition to approval of the Path, Executive Committee also set into motion the completion of the long awaited Luminous Veil on Prince Edward Viaduct -- a large art installation that crosses above the path at Bloor Street.

For interview requests, imagery or more information, contact Winston Ma at winston.ma@lotusleaf.ca

WEST-TO-EAST QUOTES OF SUPPORT

"The Pan Am Path is set to become a high profile tourist attraction used by thousands of Toronto residents every year. It will create local economic opportunities, youth employment and showcase the best of Toronto by combining the power of art and sport -- from my old ward in North West Etobicoke to Rouge River in Scarborough. For a modest investment, Torontonians are going to be able to experience the full value of decades of trial investments unlocking over 80 kilometres of continuous, off-road trails for biking, running and walking." Mayor Ford

"The Pan Am Path provides natural green spaces for people to connect and express themselves. It's a great opportunity to bring together diverse communities along the route and tell the unique story that is Toronto. I'm a big proponent of this project and excited by the potential it can achieve for residents across the city." Councillor Anthony Perruzza, Councillor, Ward 8 -York West

"The Pan Am Path does not go through my ward but I clearly see the value for all of Toronto. Building a 'bridge' of active living and quality arts opportunities from the inner suburbs to downtown is an amazing dream that I have supported since its inception. I am very much looking forward to helping take this from paper into reality and then under my bike!" Councillor Joe Mihevc, Ward 21 St. Paul's

"I'm an ardent supporter of the Pan Am Path. It's an exciting and bold project to establish Toronto's longest active living trail system. The Pan Am Path has the potential to transform Toronto into an urban leader in walk-ability and active transportation, strengthening our reputation as a great liveable city. Open Streets programs like the Pan Am Path encourage us to re-imagine how we interact with our city, help find new ways to promote healthy lifestyles and lay the foundation for a more inclusive and economically vibrant Toronto" Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam, Ward 27 - Toronto Centre-Rosedale

"I'm a strong advocate of great art in public spaces and the Pan Am Path. When the Pan Am Games arrive in Toronto I believe we'll have the best, most well-prepared cultural strategy of any recent major sports event largely because the Toronto's arts community and groups like Pan Am Path made us get our cultural act together. It looks like we'll have a world-class cultural city after all!" Councillor Shelley Carroll, Ward 33 - Don Valley East

"The Pan Am Path acknowledges that the best of our city exists in all parts of our city. Not only will it give a big boost to culture, tourism and local economic development across our city, it will bring artistic and economic opportunities to young people in the seven Neighbourhood Improvement Areas that the route connects." Councillor Michael Thompson, Chair of Economic Development and Culture, Councillor, Ward 37 - Scarborough Centre

"Connecting and strengthening communities, providing excellent value for taxpayers and creating opportunities for artists in all parts of Toronto are the reasons why I got into politics. As a supporter of the Pan Am Path since the beginning, I look forward to helping bridge that divide that separates downtown and the inner suburbs. Residents across our city are asking for more active and healthy lives -- and this proposal will definitely deliver." Councillor Gary Crawford, Ward 36 - Scarborough Southwest

"The Pan Am path proposal is a great opportunity to build on the successes of Toronto's parks and connect them with opportunities for renewed community engagement and cultural programming. After the world visits in 2015, my hope is visitors take home a small taste of Toronto's fantastic green spaces, vibrant art scene and our commitment to a legacy of healthy active living in all parts of the city." Councillor Paul Ainslie, Ward 43 - Scarborough East, Chair of Parks and Environment Committee